Merly Morello: “They insulted me, sent obscene photos, made proposals and I had the strength to denounce”

At only 19 years old, he knows very well what he wants for his life. The actress Merly Morello He has been in front of the cameras for a little over 6 years and has faced every criticism since his debut in the entertainment business.

Among his latest projects is his participation in the film “A retreat to fall in love”, a romantic comedy that promises to be the favorite of the month of February. Directed by Jesús Álvarez Betancourt, this new film features Andrea Luna and the Spaniards Juan Carlos Torres. It will be released in Peru on February 23.

In interview with GlobeLiveMediathe actress Merly Morello He gives us more details about his character in the film production and the hard fight he has every day for his chondromalacia, a disease from which he suffers in his knees. Moreover, he talks openly about his sexual orientation and makes it clear that his love life will not be exposed.

They called me because they were calling girls of my profile, of my age and I sent my casting. It’s actually one of my favorite castings, I think it was wonderful. I sent it with all the faith in the world, I was pre-selected and then they called me to tell me that I was in the Spanish co-production.

Carla is a lesbian girl who has been in a relationship for many years with a girl (Alex Bejar) which is in the “closet”. She’s like the bad influence on the Christian parents at her school. Supposedly, the girls are friends, but there comes a point in the relationship where Carla feels she can’t stay in the “closet” anymore, because it hurts her. That’s where they find that retreat, an option to save that relationship that’s dying for something out of their hands.

Of course, I think visibility is important. I’m a bisexual woman and it’s nice to see portrayals of women who like women on screen. Here in Peru we don’t see much, abroad we see it.

I feel like the last few productions have started to touch that subject a lot more. I know there are other movies with gay characters, but there’s still a lot of real, not-so-parodied portrayals missing. I also think it’s very difficult for Peruvian productions to be able to play these kinds of songs. I saw how my director suffered with the story of Carla and Mónica wondering if there is a kiss or not, if the sponsors or the cinemas will leave. I feel like it’s a pretty taboo talking point that all the brands try to normalize, but then you see the Peruvian productions and you realize that the same brands aren’t going to support LGBT people.

I realized that the press is very tabloid, a lot of the press is looking for disaster and chaos. I realized that I had to clarify everything too well, because this specific part of my life, lovingly, I don’t like to talk about it, I feel like not everyone wishes you the best. Whether or not I have a partner, I’ll never really say. I think I had to make it clear that Alex wasn’t my partner and if at some point I have a partner they’ll never know because that’s a part I want to keep.

Homophobia is still too strong. We tell ourselves that we have advanced, that we are in another era and a lot of things, but it happens with girls who seem to have a relationship and the world war is already armed. They insulted me, sent disgusting photos, proposals to convert me, it was fatal. I also said that everything is calmer, but that’s a lie.

More than hurting me, it now makes me very disgusted and angry. Currently I have the strength to report, block and delete. I know there are so many women who go through this and they don’t have that voice to do it, which motivates me to stand up for other women.

We were there (Spain). Everything was chaotic and we were surprised. She told me that in Spain she doesn’t see this kind of thing, that it happened many years ago. Peru has a long way to go in this direction and how sad to see it becoming more and more distant. Obviously, it made us laugh and we thought it was good publicity for the film.

I am 6 years old (in the field) and it would be a lie to tell you that nothing affects me. Who isn’t going to be affected by being called out in a super uncomfortable way. Obviously, it doesn’t affect me to the same extent or for the same duration as before, because I have other emotional tools that I can use to get up quickly. Now, with my psychologist and my psychiatrist, I have this support and this emotional pillar that I needed.

I have severe generalized anxiety and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) so if I’m not on therapy I won’t be able to focus and I have to take action. I have to take pills in the morning and in the evening, but it’s normal and everything is very calm. I am very good.

When I went for an exam, I was limping because I had a lot of pain in my joints and tendons. That summer I was dancing and they discovered chondromalacia in my knees. I had transparent dots in my eyes which are symptoms of arthritis, they sent me for a check up and I got this diagnosis which is patella wear. It can progress, stay there, or develop into arthritis. In winter, my hand bones hurt badly. What I’m left with is rehab, waiting long enough, and eating well.

No. Living in fear of what will happen later is not living what I am living now. I’m 19 and about 40 before I see if the arthritis gets worse. I have to live fully, happily, travel and work.

Not yet. I have other plans this year and the time has not yet come. It crosses my path with other things.

Again, we are talking about the tabloid press in this part. Everything was misinterpreted. They asked me about talking shitnever sure CM. What I said is that I don’t consume talking shit, but that doesn’t mean that I get on badly with Jorge and Ricardo. We worked all these months at the CTM, they always treated me very well, they listened to me, they apologized if necessary and vice versa. We had a very professional relationship and I never walked out of CTM in a fight, I went to Europe on vacation.

I take the people I met with me, Melania Urbina, she became my real mother. I haven’t seen my mom much and Melania is almost the same age as her and I’m almost the same age as her daughter, who is now one of my best friends, so it’s become a maternity friendship almost adoptive. I learned a lot from the whole cast, actors and production. I took things that I want to learn to do like art direction, makeup, costumes, script. I also grew as a person, they taught me that not everything in this life is easy.

I would have to talk about it, see what time in my life I’m at and in what projects, I don’t know. It is difficult to make a decision. If they call me this year, I would have to see it a lot, but later if it’s for a remake (new version) it can work. Coming back to TV is strange, I’ve been there for 6 years and I want to continue exploring like cinema.